Find below our news on services, projects and current developments.
Griechenland: Start-up end of 2023
Novis planned and build a biogas plant in Avdeira, Greece, which is coming now to the phase of start-up.
In December 2023 we are starting the filling of the classical 250kW plant. The plant is operated with cow manure and co-substrates.
Well visited Hofer Vliesstofftage appreciated the presentation of Dr. Tim Höhnemann (DITF) and Dr. Thomas Helle (Novis). A novel approach was brought to the attention of the audience, to produce PHB/PHBV.
Novis is responsible for the production of the biopolymer. Genetically modified bacteria are used in large volume vessels. The procedure is based on an innovation, which is already in the patenting process. By the way: the production of PHB by Caynobacteria is consuming CO2 in the amount of 1 : 1 related to the produced polymer.
German based Institutes for Textile research have achieved, to utilize the PHB for the production of vlies, which was never achieved before.
Dr. Höhnemann has presented this process in real details to the audience and it was very well appreciated. This novel apporach opens up the envionmental friendly production of sustainable nowovens.
End of Oktober 2023 the first of its kind CO" liquefaction installation, build by Novis, in operation.
At a large winery in Portugal, the CO2 CCU (Carbon Capture and Use) installation is taking the CO2 from wine fermentation. After cleaning and compression, the CO2 is liquified and is used then after for feeding an algae growing installation on the same area.
Project officer Christopher Oechsner is proud of the smooth continous operation of the newly designed plant and its CO2 liquefaction capability.
A special challenge is the operation of the CO2 liquefaction, without disturbing the running wine production. To ensure this, Novis has installed an active wine oxygenationat the winery, helping to produce the desired qine quality.
In the international Carbon Capture and Utilisation conference ICCDU 2023 in BAri (Italy) Arianna Zini presented the international project CAPTUS to the large audience.
CAPTUS uses CO2 from incineration processes to use the stored CO2 for alge growing. Subsequently the algae are used to produce fules.
The CO2 from incineration is is cleaned from other gases and either compressed or stored in liquid form.
Novis is responsible for the design and development of this first of its kind small scale installation. It is expected, that the installation will start operation late 2024.
The Ministry for the Environment, Climate and Energy Management (Baden-Württemberg) has granted the BW2Pro project. Co-financed by EFRE funds from the EU, a pilot project for the use of biowaste
will be implemented at the Backnang waste management plant.
Under the guidance of the University of Hohenheim and the Institute for Water Management (University of Stuttgart), an innovative process for the recovery of products from biowaste will be
realized, starting in March 2022. The organic waste will undergo thermal pressure hydrolysis, the cooking water is used in an innvoative biogas reactor and the fibers will be processed into plant
pots and dinnerware. In addition, cellulase and bioplastics (PHA) are also produced by other partners; or nutrients are recovered in pure form.
The project is part of the strategy: Sustainable Bioeconomy Baden-Württemberg.
Novis was commissioned to conduct a feasibility study for a farmer and dairy farmer in Eastern Greece near Thessaloniki. During the study, the site will be analyzed and evaluated with regard to its structural requirements, substrates, logistics, legal framework, etc...
At the same time, a suitable plant concept will be drawn up on the basis of Novis' huge experience in the sector. The expected costs will be determined. Part of the study was as well a dynamic profitability calculation including sensitivity analysis, which was being used as a basis for the investment decision.
Due to the positive outcome for the Greek customer, it was decided to implement the project. The feasibility study also convinced the customer's bank to finance the project. This clears the way for another plant for ecological and CO2-free energy production!
The BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg GmbH has recently published two detailed articles on Novis' projects PAWN and REDWine. The regional subsidiary BIOPRO Baden-Württemberg supports the biotechnology industry as well as the development of a bioeconomy for Baden-Württemberg. The REDWine article was published as well in the printed brochure (download).
Novis GmbH received the seal „Innovative through Research” from the German Stifterverband. Since 2014, the Stifterverband has honored researching companies for their special responsibility that they assume for the society.
The Stifterverband is a joint initiative started by companies and foundations – the only one in Germany to be devoted entirely to consulting, networking and promoting improvements in the fields of education, science and innovation.
Novis has attended Biofach 2020 fair in Nürnberg together with the other Consortium partners of the Smartmushroom project. It was the occasion to present the project and its progress to the sector of organic producers and to the public.
Smartmushroom is financed by the EU under the Horizon 2020 FTI program (www.smartmushroom.eu). In the project we generate biogas out of Spent Mushroom Substrate (SMS), dry down fresh SMS and pelletize it to produce a handy fertilizer in organic quality. A disposal problem is solved by using renewable energy and a new high-end product is created.
The fertilizer pellets have been presented on the fair. “The feedback of the farmers who used this fertilizer for growing their vegetables was very positive” says Jovan Jovanovic from Ecosoil, one of the four Consortium partners, responsible for the field tests and the optimized composition of the fertilizer. The fair was also an occasion to hold the fourth Consortium meeting. The project’s progress has been discussed and upcoming tasks have been defined.
If you like, to do your own compost, here´s an DIY link for you.
Novis has received funding by the EU for the innovative processing of spent mushroom compost. Spent mushroom compost is the residual compost waste generated by the mushroom production industry.
The project Smartmushroom - endowed with 3 million € - has won funding within the EU program Horizon 2020 – Fast Track to Innovation (FTI). It is intended to help new technologies and innovative projects to get ready for the market. The project has four European partners.
Within the project Novis will develop an innovative biogas plant that is fed by mushroom compost. The construction of the pilot plant as well as the operational tests will be done in La Rioja, Spain.
Novis resolves thereby a residual problem. For the industrial mushroom production large quantities of substrate are needed – mainly consisting of horse and chicken manure. After the harvest, the spent substrate could be used as organic fertilizer. Nevertheless the use of fertilizer is limited in quantity according to the directives in force. The high humidity of the compost makes it uneconomic to transport it over long distances. Storage releases unwanted methane. In Europe, 3.65 million tons of mushroom compost are produced every year that are mainly not reused.
The partners of the project want to end this “take – make – dispose” model. With the biogas generated by the compost fresh compost can be dried. Then it can be processed to fertilizer pellets, easy to transport and to merchandise. A residual problem is resolved by the use of renewable energies and results in a new high-quality product. This idea has convinced the EU.
In collaboration with the university of applied sciences Hamm-Lippstadt Novis tests which composition of the mushroom compost and which additives achieve the highest biogas yield.
The pilot plant is going to be built in La Rioja, Spain’s biggest production area for mushrooms. Further plants in six European countries including Germany shall follow.
The research project „CocoaBoost“ has received funding by the cooperation network Biohymed. Novis GmbH and the institute for food chemistry and food biotechnology of Justus – Liebig – University in Gießen will develop together a biotechnological process to gain cocoa powder out of cocoa shells. Biohymed is supported by the central innovation program for medium-sized companies (ZIM) of the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy (BMWi). A full report in German language can be found here.
Recently the magazin Exportmanager Online published in his July 2017 issue an article about the economic potentials in Africa after the G20 summit in Hamburg.
The experiences of Novis are part of the publication.
The complete article you can read here. Unfortunately only in German.
18.05.2017 Attempto Online - the online magazin of the University of Tuebingen - was reporting on the new research project "AminS", the recovery of heavy metalls from wood incineration slag. This is done in a cooperation between the University of Tuebingen (Prof. Kappler) and the University of applied sciences Rottenburg (Prof. Thorwarth).
Due to his vaste experiences in Bioleaching, Novis is part of the project "AminS".
To read the full article, just click. Unfortunately only in German.
In may 2017 our experiences in bioleaching were presented in an international conference.
At the White Biotechnology Congress in Mons (Belgium) Novis presented a convincing example for the industrial use of biotechnology.
Credits and Link: GreenWin / Umons
At the 11th annual COFACE meeting, may 2017, Novis presented some of his experiences with financing in African countries.
At the annual energy meeting of the German based Afrikaverein, end of April 2017 in Hamburg, Novis experiences with doing business in Africa were asked for. A high ranked podium with several ministers brought deep insights to the 400 international participants.
Bouaké, second biggest town in Ivory Coast is supported by its twin town of Reutlingen (Germany). The main target of these activities: improving living conditions and opening possibilities for generating employment in Bouaké to create a future perspective for the people.
In the framework of the recently started project, Novis will develop and install nine biogas plants, providing enough biogas for school canteens with a cooking demand of up to 1.000 pupils daily.
Household organic waste is used to generate clean biogas. Firewood is replaced by green energy.
A highlight of these biogas plants are the integrated waste water purification units, based on local wetland plants to clarify the waste water from the biogas plant, leaving only clear water and solid fertilizer as final products.
Food upgrading demands precise work. Especially when it comes food safety, perfect precision and highest cleanliness is demanded.
The picture to the right shows viscosity measurements, being performed with secondary fermented cocoa shells. These shells are treated with bacterial strains, combined with specially selected enzymes to remove all unwanted contents in the shells and to obtain a clear food product stream at the end.
We are happy to receive the honour of "Best Concept for Growth" being awarded to Novis in 2016 by the chamber of commerce of Reutlingen.
In the category growth, Novis was one of only five awarded companies in the region Tuebingen - Reutlingen - Neckar-Alb.
In Janaury 2017 we formally kicked-off of our new project "BiBou": Biogas in Bouaké. Nine schools will profit from biogas for their canteens, replacing firewood for cooking. Biogas is produced from organic household waste, delivered by the children themselves.
The specially designed biogas plants show a new development of Novis with a maximum in operational security as well as the highest amount of locally sourced or produced equipment.
Dr. Werner Stroebele, director of the municipal culture office Reutlingen, was the head of the Delegation.
